- Area:
- Wales
- Programme:
- Heroes Return
- Release date:
- 18 8 2010
Second World War veterans from North Wales are being urged to take advantage of a Big Lottery Fund programme which supports commemorative trips back to places where they served and saw action.
The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) wants to ensure that as many veterans as possible take advantage of its multi-million pound Heroes Return 2 programme before it closes on January 31 2011, with trips having to be made by the end of 2010 (grants can be applied for retrospectively after trips have been made).
The programme provides grants of between £150 and £5,500 to allow WWII veterans to return to former battlefields and cemeteries throughout the world to commemorate those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Over 190 grants amounting to over £300,000 have already been awarded in Wales to support veterans, their spouses, widows and carers to travel to destinations including Italy, France, Greece, Holland, Germany, USA, the Far East and Australia, as well as to make trips within the UK.
Urging veterans to sign up and take advantage of the funding, Big Lottery Fund Deputy Director for Wales, Mike Walsh, said: “So far the programme has been a great success, as the messages we have received from veterans, their families and carers have already shown. The generation of men and women who served this country during the Second World War gave so much to protect the freedoms we enjoy today. As they get older, pilgrimages to the areas where they saw service become ever more poignant and precious to our veterans.
He added: “I am delighted we are able to offer Lottery funding for them to return and pay their respects at the places they served and to attend memorial events within the UK. In this way, we hope to do our bit on behalf of the whole nation to honour the service and sacrifice so many of our veterans made.”
One of the veterans who has already benefited from the funding is 85 year old Geoffrey Gautrey from Guilsfield near Welshpool. Last year, funding from BIG enabled Mr Gautrey to take part in a commemorative visit to Normandy. Mr Gautrey was only nineteen when he took part in the D-day landings as a visual signalman in the Royal Navy.
Explaining the importance of supporting these commemorative visits, Mr Gautrey, said: “I think if you speak to any ex-serviceman, they will tell you how proud they are of the part they played. We were only youngsters really. I was just nineteen, so I must have been one of the youngest.”
“I think it’s very necessary that these things are still remembered. I’m very pleased to think that my own grandchildren and great-grandchildren are interested enough to keep asking questions and want to know about it. I think it’s important that we keep these things alive, so that future generations are aware of what happened, in the hope that it never happens again.”
Originally launched in 2004 to mark the historic 60th anniversary of D-Day, BIG’s first Heroes Return scheme, part of the Veterans Reunited programme, awarded £16.6 million to over 39,000 veterans, spouses, widows and carers.
To find out more about the programme call the Heroes Return 2 helpline on 0845 00 00 121 or visit the website www.biglotteryfund.org.uk.
Further Information
Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 02920 678 207
Out of hours contact: 07760171431
Public Enquiries Line: 08454 102030
Textphone: 0845 6021 659
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Notes to Editors
- The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out half the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
- BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since June 2004. The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
- Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £24 billion has now been raised and more than 330,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.
- Heroes Return £17 million scheme provided funding to Second World War veterans, their wives or husbands, widows and widowers and, where required, their present-day carers to visit the overseas areas where the veterans saw active service. By linking with activities funded through the Their Past Your Future scheme, Heroes Return is also helping to give young people a better understanding of the efforts and sacrifices made by veterans.
- Home Front Recall provided grants of between £500 and £20,000 for regional and local projects across the UK in 2004-2005 that commemorated the events of the Second World War and the contributions of different groups in society. The scheme funded a very wide range of projects including special community days; reunions and exhibitions; recordings of the experiences of those who lived through the War; plays and pieces of creative artwork. In addition, the scheme funded a number of national grants to organisations such as the TUC to fund a range of commemorative activities.
- Their Past Your Future is an ongoing UK-wide schools and education scheme to give young people the opportunity to learn first-hand from veterans about their experience of war. The Big Lottery Fund is working closely with the Imperial War Museum and the museums, libraries and archives sector UK-wide to help young people to research and learn about the personal experiences and roles played by forces personnel and civilians. Competitions have enabled schools to take part in World War Two related visits with veterans. The Imperial War Museum has a website (www.theirpast-yourfuture.org.uk) with a wide range of resources for schools to use and details of projects delivered by museums across the UK.
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